News & Information

You might be surprised! Gastric (stomach) cancer has some unique risk factors that you might not have expected. You’re probably aware of some of the more common risk factors for this type of cancer – they include age (risk increases after 40), gender (men are more likely to get stomach cancer than women are) and family history of stomach cancer (if a close relative like a parent, a sibling or a child has stomach cancer, you are more likely to get the disease).

But did you know about these risk factors? If you fit any of the descriptions below, you might be at risk for stomach cancer, and you should explore the cancer insurance policies on CancerPlans.com. Supplemental insurance provides a lump sum benefit upon first diagnosis of a covered cancer, allowing you to pay for the expenses of stomach cancer when it’s most important.

Smoking. Smoking is most commonly known as the top cause of lung cancer, but this deadly habit contributes to many other diseases as well. Stomach cancer is one of them! Smokers get stomach cancer (especially in the upper part of the stomach lining) twice as often as non-smokers do.

Smoked/pickled/salted foods. Ham, sausage and hot dogs taste great – but the nitrates and nitrites in these processed meats are a major risk factor for stomach cancer. H. pylori bacteria in the stomach can convert nitrates and nitrates into carcinogenic compounds.

Type A blood. No one knows why people with this type of blood have a higher incidence of stomach cancer – but they do.

Certain industrial jobs. If you work in a rubber, metal or coal factory, you may have been exposed to chemicals that raise your risk of stomach cancer.

(1) http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/StomachCancer/DetailedGuide/stomach-cancer-risk-factors